Michigan State Men's Basketball Tangles With Detroit

GAME INFORMATION -- After coming up with a split of two games last week, the Michigan State men's basketball team takes on intrastate foe Detroit this Saturday (Dec. 13). The Jack Breslin Student Events Center (15,138) will serve as the site of the 60th meeting between the Spartans and Titans and tipoff is slated for 7:05 p.m. (EST). The game against Detroit starts a stretch in which the Spartans will play three of next next four games at the Breslin Center.

COVERAGE -- All MSU basketball games can be heard on WJIM Radio (1240 AM/97.5 FM). Describing the play-by-play is Mark Champion while former Spartan head coach, Gus Ganakas, serves as analyst.

THE RECORDS -- MSU enters the Detroit game with a 4-2 record following a decisive 85-54 win at Cleveland State last Saturday. In that game, the Spartans saw each member of the starting five score in double figures while also shooting 50 percent or better from the floor. Sophomore guard Mateen Cleaves totaled a game-high 17 points and doled out eight assists while freshmen Charlie Bell and Andre Hutson each finished the contest with 13 points. Bell also snared a game-high nine rebounds in helping the Green and White to a wide 52-30 advantage on the boards. Bolstering MSU's attack was a season-high 61.8 percent mark from the floor in the second half that aided the Spartans in a 49-31 scoring advantage. In games played at the Breslin Center this season, MSU is 3-1, 1-1 in road contests.

Detroit invades the Breslin Center with a two-game winning streak that has boosted its record to 3-2. In Detroit's most recent performance, it posted a 77-59 win at home over Western Michigan (Dec. 6).

THE SERIES -- In a series that originated in 1917, Michigan State owns a 44-15 all-time mark against Detroit, 24-5 in games played at East Lansing (3-1 at the Breslin Center). Detroit has claimed the last two contests between the schools including a wild 86-84 triple-overtime decision last year at Cobo Arena. Antonio Smith turned in a big game for the Spartans with 13 points and 15 rebounds. The Titans also registered a win in the last game played on the MSU campus, 63-61, on Dec. 10, 1995.

THE COACHES -- Michigan State is guided by head coach Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan '77), who is in his third season at the helm of the program. Izzo has a school and career record of 37-30. In games at the Breslin Center, Izzo has posted a record of 26-10, 11-20 on the road. Izzo has directed the Green and White to appearances in the NIT in each of his first two years.

Detroit Head Coach Perry Watson (Eastern Michigan '72) is in his fifth season leading the Titans and owns a school and career record of 66-54. Last year, Watson directed Detroit to an overall record of 16-13 including an 11-5 mark in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, the most wins by a Titan team in the MCC in its 17 years as a member of that conference.

TOM IZZO RADIO SHOW INFO -- The Tom Izzo radio show can be heard throughout the state of Michigan on MSU basketball radio affiliates. The show will be held at Tripper's Sports Lounge on Mondays from 7:00-8:00 p.m.

SPARTANS CRASH BOARDS -- Michigan State dominated the boards against Cleveland State, recording a 52-30 advantage over the Vikings. It represented the second time this season that the Green and White had snatched 50-plus boards in a game and the fourth time it had a margin of 10 or more boards in a game. The Spartans have out rebounded their last four opponents and show a 43.5-23.7 per-game advantage in that stretch. Twenty of the Spartans' 52 rebounds against Cleveland State were on the offensive end of the floor, the third time this season that MSU had 20 or more offensive caroms in a contest.

MSU OFFENSE IN HIGH GEAR -- MSU's 85 points against Cleveland State marked the fourth-highest point total by a Spartan team during Izzo's stint as head coach and was the first time that MSU had scored 80 or more points on the road since Dec. 17, 1996, when the Spartans chalked up an 86-77 triumph at Evansville. The team's 61.8 percent mark from the field in the second half in the Cleveland State contest represented the fourth-best shooting performance in a half by an Izzo-coached Spartan squad.

MSU AND THE BRESLIN CENTER -- MSU's loss to Temple on Dec. 4 dropped its all-time record at the Breslin Center to 100-25 (.800) since the facility opened in 1989 (47-6 vs. non-conference opponents, 53-19 in Big Ten contests). MSU has shot 50 percent or better from the floor in 70 games at the Breslin Center while allowing the opposition to reach that mark on just 17 occasions.

QUICK FACTS -- After six games, MSU is shooting 43.5 percent (78-of-179) from the floor in the first half and 49.4 percent (92-of-186) in the second half ... Opponents are shooting 38.6 percent (58-of-150) from the field in the first half and 41.4 percent (70-of-169) over the final 20 minutes of action ... The Spartans have been outshot from the foul line in five games and are connecting at just a 53.3 percent (64-of-120) vs. the opposition's effort of 70.4 percent (81-of-115) ... MSU is averaging 33.5 points in the first half of play (27.0 for opponents) and 39.5 points in the second half (34.3 for opponents).

MORSELS FOR MUSING -- MSU has won 13 of its last 14 games when holding the opposition to 60 or fewer points (2-1 in 1997-98) ... During Izzo's stint as head coach, the Spartans post a 24-4 mark in such games ... Since last season, the Spartans are 9-1 when scoring 80-plus points (3-0 in 1997-98) ... Antonio Smith claims eight career double-doubles ... Under Izzo, MSU is 33-6 when leading at halftime (4-0 this year) ... Dating from last year, MSU is 10-1 when the opposition has more turnovers ... Dating from last season, the Spartans have failed to shoot 70 percent or better from the foul line in the last 12 contests ... MSU has forced the opposition into 20 or more turnovers on three occasions this year ... The Spartans have outscored the opposition in eight out of 12 halves of basketball ... MSU has given up 50 percent or better from the floor in two halves of action while reaching that mark on six occasions ... MSU has attempted more free throws than its opponents in four contests ... Since Izzo has taken over as head coach, MSU is 29-4 in games when it has outshot the opposition from the field ... The Spartans have held their opponents to less than 10 field goals in a half on two occasions ... After six outings, MSU is averaging 18.3 offensive rebounds vs. the opposition's average of 9.8.

MSU PLAYER NOTES

# 11-- Sophomore David Thomas has started all six MSU games ... Coming off a career-high 12-point effort against Cleveland State (12/6) and his five field goals tied his career high ... Shot 50 percent or better from the floor in five games ... Shooting 59.5 percent mark from the floor (25-of-42) ... Played a career-high 33 minutes in the Temple contest ... Coca-Cola Classic All-Tournament after totaling 18 points and 20 boards ... First career double-double came against Gonzaga with 10 points and 10 boards (board total tying career high) ... Came up with 10 boards against Central Michigan (11/28), tying him with Antonio Smith for game honors ... 10 points vs. Illinois-Chicago, hitting a career-best five-of-six field goal attempts ... No. 2 on the team in boards vs. ETSU (8) ... No. 2 on the team in rebounding (7.8 rpg).

#12 -- Sophomore Mateen Cleaves leads the team in minutes (33.5 mpg), scoring (13.7 ppg) and assists (7.3 apg) ... Has scored in double figures his last five games (14.8/avg.) including a game-high 17-point effort vs. Cleveland State (12/6) ... Has led or shared for the team's scoring lead in four contests ... Played a career-long 40 minutes vs. Temple ... No. 2 on squad in treys with 13 ... Shooting 50 percent (5 of 10) from beyond the arc in the last two games ... Coca-Cola Classic MVP after scoring 29 points and doling out 19 assists against Central Michigan and Gonzaga ... Career-high 11 assists against Gonzaga was the first time a Spartan had more than 10 assists in a game since Eric Snow's 11 vs. Wisconsin (3/11/95) ... Notched game-high 19 points and doled out eight assists vs. CMU .. Has two or more treys in the last five contests ... Team-highs in points (17) and assists (5) vs. Illinois-Chicago (11/21) ... Registered team-high seven assists vs. East Tennessee (11/17) ... Has 190 assists in 35 career contests (5.4 apg) ... Has led or shared for MSU's lead in assists in 30 of 35 career outings ... Scored in double figures in 21 outings during his career (16 in '96-97).

#13 -- Junior Antonio Smith paces the team in rebounding (8.0 rpg) ... Hit a season-high six field goals and totaled a season-high 12 points, his second double-figure scoring effort of the year, at Cleveland State (12/6) ... Has led or shared for MSU rebounding honors in three games including a 10-board performance vs. CMU ... No. 2 on the club in minutes (30.0 mpg) ... Has a pair of double-digit rebounding outings this season ... Notched his eighth career double-double vs. ETSU (11/17) with 11 points and 10 boards ... 21 career contests of 10 or more boards and five of 15-plus caroms ... Third-Team All-Big Ten pick last year.

#14 -- Freshman Charlie Bell is tied for No. 2 on the team in scoring (9.8 ppg) ... Played a season-high 29 minutes and registered his third double-figure scoring effort of the season with a 13-point performance against Cleveland State (12/6) ... Also paced the squad in rebounding vs. CSU with nine caroms, the first time a Spartan guard had led MSU in boards since Eric Snow grabbed six vs. Weber State in the 1995 NCAA Tournament ... No. 2 on the squad in scoring against CMU (11/28) with a career-best 17 points ... Paced the team in scoring vs. ETSU (11/17) with 15 points while also chipping in seven boards and two assists ... His point total marked the first time that a true frosh had led MSU in scoring in a season opener since Jay Vincent's 25 points vs. Central Michigan (11/28/77).

#30 -- Freshman Doug Davis has played a total of 40 minutes as a reserve in four games ... Played 10 minutes (second-longest stint of the season) and scored two points vs. Cleveland State (12/6) ... Had not seen any action in contests vs. Gonzaga or Temple ... Hit a trey en route to three points in nine minutes vs. Central Michigan ... 13 minutes off the bench vs. ETSU (11/17) and scored eight points while dishing out three assists.

#34 -- Freshman Andre Hutson is averaging 22 minutes after six games ... Is the team's leading shooter from the floor, hitting 65.6% (21 of 32) of his attempts ... Shooting a keen 69.6 percent (16 of 23) from the floor in the last three games and is averaging 12.3 points in that stretch ... Hit six-of-nine from the field and finished with 13 points (tying season high) at Cleveland State (12/6) ... Has shot 50 percent or better from the field in his last four and in five contests this season ... Nailed five-of-seven from the floor, finishing with 11 points, and snared a game-high nine boards in a season-long 30 minutes vs. Temple (12/4) ... No. 3 on the team in rebounding (5.7 rpg) ... Strong effort in the Coca-Cola Classic where he started both games and shot 69.2 percent from the floor -- averaging 11 points ... Tallied a team-high 13 points in the championship game vs. Gonzaga in 28 minutes ... Made first career start against CMU, playing 21 minutes and registering nine points and five boards ... No. 2 on the club in blocked shots with eight ... 16 minutes off the bench vs. ETSU (11/17) and grabbed six boards, tops among the reserves ... Blocked three ETSU shot attempts.

#42 -- Sophomore Morris Peterson is averaging 5.8 points and 3.3 boards in four games ... Missed the Temple and Cleveland State games with a fractured bone in his right wrist (suffered in Gonzaga game) ... Hit five-of-seven field goal attempts en route to a season-high 10 points against Gonzaga (11/29) ... Posted four rebounds and six points in 16 minutes vs. Illinois-Chicago ... Played 14 minutes vs. ETSU (11/17), scoring five points ... Played in 29 games last season, 18 as a starter ... Has scored in double figures on six occasions in his career, five of which came last year ... Five of his double-figure scoring efforts have come at home.

#43 -- Sophomore A.J. Granger has come off the bench in MSU's first six games and is averaging 12.7 minutes ... Averaging 3.0 rebounds ... Played 16 minutes (second-longest stint of year) vs. Cleveland State (12/6) and grabbed a career-high six boards ... Has scored in five of MSU's six games ... 10-minute stint vs. Central Michigan and scored four points ... 18 minutes at UIC (11/21) and snatched five boards, tops among the subs, and tying his then personal best ... 13 minutes of action vs. ETSU (11/17) and and finished with five points and three rebounds.

#44 -- Junior Jason Klein is tied for the No. 2 spot on the team in scoring (9.8 ppg) ... Tallied nine points vs. Cleveland State (12/6) ... Has scored in double figures in three of his last four outings ... Totaled 11 points (tying season high) vs. Temple (12/4), tying him for team honors ... No. 1 on the squad in treys with 15 ... Coca-Cola Classic All-Tournament Team pick after scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 boards in the two games ... 11 points in 17 minutes against Central Michigan ... Sank three treys against the Chippewas, tying his career high ... Has two or more treys in all six contests this year ... Played a career-long 29 minutes vs. Illinois-Chicago (11/21) and hit three treys en route to nine points ... 21 minutes as a reserve vs. ETSU and notched nine points, tops among the subs ... Fourteen career games of two or more treys, five coming last year.

#55 -- Senior DuJuan Wiley is averaging 12.0 minutes per outing through six contests ... Has scored in every game ... Is the team's leader in blocked shots with 12 and has blocks in five of six games ...
Tied his career high in blocked shots with four in the Cleveland State (12/6) game and also grabbed five rebounds ... Hit all three field goal attempts and scored seven points against Central Michigan (11/28) ... Four points and two blocks in 16 minutes vs. Illinois-Chicago (11/21) ... First career start came in the ETSU (11/17) game where he played a career-long 20 minutes while finishing with a personal-best six caroms and four blocked shots, tying career high.
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT -- Junior forward Antonio Smith has started the last 33 Spartan contests while sophomore guard Mateen Cleaves has the starting nod in MSU's last 30 encounters ... Smith has 483 career rebouds, just 17 shy of reaching the 500 career mark ... Dating from last year, the Spartans have made three or more three-point field goals in their last 16 games ... MSU has allowed just 26 of its last 155 opponents to shoot 50 percent or better from the field ... The Spartans claim superior bench scoring in three of five games, but are 1-2 in those contests ... MSU has totaled 33 blocked shots after six games (5.5 bpg) compared to 25 last year and nine in 1995-96 ... The last Spartan cager to grab 20 or more rebounds in a game was Kevin Willis with 20 against Wisconsin on March 5, 1983.

ON THE HORIZON -- Following the Detroit game, MSU's next action will be at home against Wright State on Wednesday, Dec. 17, starting at 7:00 p.m.

MORE ON THE SCHEDULE -- The time of the Spartans' Big Ten opener at Purdue on Dec. 30 has been moved up to 5:00 p.m. (EST). The game was originally scheduled for 7:00 p.m., but was moved as to not conflict with Purdue fans wishing to watch the Boilermaker football team in the Alamo Bowl that evening starting at 8:00 p.m.

SCOUTING DETROIT -- After five games, Detroit is averaging 72.8 points while allowing 60. The Titans are shooting 43.7 percent from the floor while their opponents are connecting at a 40.3 percent rate. Senior guard Derrick Hayes (17.6 ppg), 6-foot-5, is Detroit's leading scorer with a 17.6 per-game average. The team's leading rebounder is senior center Brian Alexander (9.2 rpg). rebounder and has a pair of 26-point outings to his credits this season (vs. Michigan and Kent).